Statement on Attacks and Sabotages Against National Education Sector by NUG/CRPH and PDF who are Committing Violations of International Law

1. NUG, CRPH and their subordinate PDFs, declared as terrorist groups as per existing laws, on the course of the utter devastation of the State to forcibly seize the State’s power, are recklessly attacking and sabotaging the education of the youths who are the future of the Nation. During a two-year period from 1 February 2021 to 31 January 2023, the PDF terrorists under the instructions of NUG committed 528 bomb attacks and 123 arson attacks on schools, universities and colleges and also made 115 threats against education staff not to open schools. In the same period, the terrorists also brutally killed 66 teachers and education staff and injured 25 others. According to the findings of ground inspections, besides destroying schools and killing teachers, the terrorists are found to be ‘using schools for military purposes’ which is legally prohibited by the United Nations and certain international organizations.
2. Resolution 2427 adopted by United Nations Security Council in 2008 reiterates its deep concern at the closure of schools and hospitals in situations of armed conflict as a result of attacks and threats of attacks and also urges all parties to armed conflict to refrain from actions that impede children’s access to education and to health services. Moreover, in the “Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use During Armed Conflict” released by Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack-GCPEA, it is clearly stated that ‘functioning schools and universities should not be used by the fighting forces of parties to armed conflict in any way in support of the military effort’ and it further describes that ‘parties to armed conflict should neither use force nor offer incentives to education administrators’.
3. Nonetheless, on the pretext of anti-government sentiment, NUG, CRPH and their subordinate PDFs and insurgent groups are using schools as military bases after forcibly closing them. On 30 January 2023, it was found that KIA insurgents and PDF terrorist groups had built trenches and bunkers fortified with sandbags as a military base in the basic education high school located in Moetarlay village in Katha township of Sagaing region with the intent to attack Tatmadaw military columns, and moreover, villagers of witness also revealed that KIA and PDF groups using arms always bully the unarmed locals and also deploy schools as military bases. The voice of a villager is as follows: –
“The KIA and PDF group built a bunker in the school where students went to school. After using it as the military base, they stay here occasionally. They are between 50 and 100 strong. They dumped sand bags as protection when they came to our village and set up a military base about 12 months ago. When they come to our village, they often stay at this school. They use the school as protection; we think it’s just like that. They built bunkers around the school and forced villagers to build them. We usually have to cook and feed them – three meals from a house. Sometimes they extorted money from us. As for villagers, we do not like KIA/PDFs at all. The village is affected by them almost every month, so we don’t accept their group.
“They have made protection themselves at the school as a military base since around the middle of December 2022. We have to give them food and drink – rice, edible oil etc. I don’t like their terror acts at all.”
4. Security personnel joining hands together with local villagers demolished the fortifications built by terrorists and also conducted clean-up activities in the village school. Moreover, in conformity with a phrase prescribed in the International Humanitarian Law urging the UN member States’ governments to effectively prevent and protect schools from being used by armed groups for military purposes, Government security personnel are taking all necessary security measures to protect the education sector from reckless destructions and sabotages of the terrorists.
5. Even though NUG, CRPH and their subordinate PDF terrorists are violating the provisions of applicable International Law, harassing and attacking the education of children using various means, some countries and organizations are found to be engaging with and supporting the NUG/PDF on media by ignoring their acts of terrorism. Such activities are threatening and destroying the safety and peace of innocent civilians’ lives. Besides, it is necessary to heed that supporting the terrorists who are recklessly harassing and destroying the education of the children, the future of the Nation, will surely cause unnecessary delays in the endeavours of Myanmar to return to the path of democracy.
6. Against the backdrop of the situation, the statement is released so that the international community can discern that KIA insurgents and NUG, CRPH and their subordinate PDF terrorist groups are destroying the education of the children who are the future of the country by using schools as covers and fortified bases.

Information Team
State Administration Council

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